Soul of the Old God
by Sikaya
Summary: The child with the soul of the Old God as been found and Thedas is on the verge of another Blight. The Gray Wardens are torn on whether to kill the child or risk keeping him alive. Rated M for violence and suggestive themes.


**Introduction: **_I won't be able to update this story often since I am busy writing another so each chapter will take awhile, sorry for any inconvinience. But everyone's favourite and least favourite characters from the game will be returning in this story. I have mixed it up, I have taken all my playthroughs and combined them (and morphed them) to create the world of Dragon Age as if there had been six newbie Grey Wardens and not just one. That may sound confusing but you'll see how it all worked out. I also changed a few things that did not happen in the game for the sake of the story...eheh. I hope you like it._

The city of Val Royeaux was drenched in snow, the winter this year was harsh and unnaturally cold. The slums of the city were littered with the sick and hidden in the corners were the frozen bodies of beggars. Dane stifled a cough as slipped from his roughly made shelter. He tightened the ragged scarf around his neck and rubbed his bare arms in an attempt to warm them as he kicked the snow about in search of scraps.

A rat scurried past him and the boy licked his lips but was too weak to chase after the quick creature. Following his nose, Dane made his way towards a bakery were he hoped to either steal or beg but a rough hand pulled him back. Dane spun around to come face-to-face with a clean-cut nobleman with a smug expression and brilliant eyes. "Hungry, child?"

The man tried to stroke his cheek but Dane jerked away and rushed for an escape. Before he could flee, Dane was snatched back and cornered by the man. Dane kicked out and struggled but a hard _thwack_ to the head sent him reeling and he slumped to the ground. Shivering, Dane looked up at the noble, terrified. "Please let me go?"

"You don't want a warm home. I'm not asking for much just-" the noble began but a flare of anger over took the young boy. His unnatural eyes were nearly a tangible flame. The nobleman stared into those eyes, eyes that were abyssal black except for the crimson iris that seemed to just float upon a sea of darkness.

"I have told you before and I will say it again, no!" Dane cried out only to receive a sharp kick that made him cringe in pain. The nobleman sneered, pulled his cloak around him and walked away. "Let us see how long it takes for this cold to break you."

Dane huffed and picked himself up, shaking the snow and ice that now clung to his rags. He made a rude gesture to the back of the nobleman and limped back to his shelter figuring that if the noble was here, he would have no luck with his begging or stealing. The man had the eye's of a hawk and was intent on making Dane's life a living hell till he either got bored or what he wanted. Suddenly, a wave of pain rushed through the child, he felt as if he had just drank that water of a polluted river and a sickness had instantly taken over his. He clutched his head and leaned against the wall for support. Dane pressed on, hoping to get to his shelter before h collapsed in the snow.

He turned the corner and spotted five people inspecting his shelter. All were dressed in armor and as he neared them, the power of his pain grew. He noticed the griffon on the shield of one of the men and he realized who they were but he didn't understand what they wanted with his home. Dane stumbled toward them, holding his head as the pain raged.

The man with the shield seemed to sense Dane's presence and he turned to the child with a curious look. The others turned to the boy as well not seeing anything out of the ordinary, black hair and raggedy clothes didn't look imposing but then they saw the eyes. There was nothing ordinary about them. An elf began to move closer to the boy, offering a hand to the child. "No one is going to hurt you; we are here to help you."

Dane was about to accept the elf's hand when a dwarf came up from behind the boy. "Oh good you found him," the dwarf said, with clear relief, "now we can chop him and get this over with." The others looked stunned at the comment and the elf was about scold his companion when the shield-bearer shouted, "Look there he goes!"

His body screaming in pain, Dane rushed past vendors and pushed through crowds, tears running from his eyes. Why did the Grey Wardens want to chop him? What had he done? Had he stolen from one of them, he hadn't recognized any of them. But he didn't think on it long, he just wanted to get out away.

The child flung himself under a cart and curled into a ball. The shivered and whimpered under his breath. He watched as people passed his hiding spot, none of them seemed in a hurry. The moment had passed and Dane relaxed with a sigh of relief just before he was yanked by his heel from under the cart. Dane screamed and found himself in the clutches of the chop-happy dwarf.

The dwarf struggled to contain the boy but before he could blink the small body in his hands began to change and become distorted. The child's screams became a shrilled roar and soon the dwarf no longer held a human child before him, but a young high dragon. The high dragon pressed its face against the dwarf's, snorted, then bellowed fiercely, sending his little body flying into his approaching companions.

The wardens stared, wide-mouthed, as the young high dragon rose into the air, and shaking his head madly, soared off into the sky. The wardens watched the creature fly away and panted wildly. The dwarf groaned and rolled his head. "You know how much ale I'm going to need after that?"

Φ

Dane's mind was a jumble. As if he was watching everything move in nothing but a blur with no control over what happened. It was pure instinct that was driving this enormous body, though Dane did not feel the extra weight but freer that ever before. The weakness he always felt was gone and power filled its place. Mountains covered in a white blanket of snow passed below, trees sprawled out before him, and then vanished into a lake of serene, pristine waters.

The shape-shifter's mind was waning, he needed to rest. The top of a tall tower came into view and out of the sky the young high dragon dropped, crashed into the top of the tower and into the darkness.


End file.
